July 29, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
759 
flowers of a superb golden hue ; while the old 
" Glory ” (Gloire de Dijon) does so well that barrow¬ 
loads of bloom have come and gone. Other forms— 
Bourbon, Banksian, Provence, etc., find here a home, 
but space precludes particular mention. 
Lord Penzance’s hybrid Sweet Briers, however, 
deserve a note on account of their great beauty, 
their delicately delicious fragrance, their charming 
singleness, and their Sweet Brier character. The 
flowers are fugacious, it is true, but they are fair, if 
fragile, and fair, perhaps, because of their fragility; 
in fact, the transient character of their beauty 
renders them all the more charming to the artistic 
taste and the discriminating eye. 
The stiffish loam, then, suits the Sweet Briers well, 
their robustness and vigour being evidence of the 
suitabilty of the soil to their requirements, Lord and 
Lady Penzance and Rose Bradwardine being great 
favourites. 
Nominally, June is the month of Roses, but by 
virtue of the numerous forms and infinite number of 
varieties, Roses may be flush in the garden for six 
months out of the twelve.— C. B. G., Acton, W, 
--*•- 
SEED TRIALS AT MORTLAKE. 
Mortlake is where Messrs. Carter & Co., of High 
Holborn, London, have some ten acres of open 
ground, which they solely devote to the testing of 
the seeds of flowers, vegetables, grasses, and cereals. 
The largest trials are those of culinary and 
Sweet Peas. There are something like i.ioo rows 
of the vegetable Peas in many, varieties, while 
among the Sweet Peas the variety is very great. 
Utility should take precedence against mere orna¬ 
ment ; yet as the Sweet Peas were our first objects 
of attraction, to these would we now direct atten¬ 
tion. 
Sweet Peas. 
It would not be easy to exactly tell how many 
distinct hues can be named; but large though 
they may be in some 200 varieties of Sweet 
Peas, we surely saw every representation. Very 
many of the hundreds receiving distinct names 
were prototypes of each other. With this explana¬ 
tion, we shall but further say that only those either 
distinguished for good form, brilliant colouring, or 
good habit have been selected for notice. The 
whites come first, and of these Mrs. Sankey may be 
noted. The Bride was equally as fine, and is a 
showy and bright member. White Queen makes 
another sweet variety. But Blanche Burpee may 
fairly rank as the best white variety, as proved on 
the dry, light soil at Mortlake. Apple Blossom 
(quite a happy thought to name it so) held its own 
with the many others of the pink and white class. 
Blanche Ferry, the earliest of all Sweet Peas, may 
also be taken note of. Colonist, a variety containing 
soft lilac and bright rose can be well regarded. 
Other standard sorts are Boreatton, a dark crimson- 
purple form, floriferous and of fair vigour; Brilliant, 
a variety of a fine crimson-scarlet caste ; Captain of 
the Blues, one of the best after all the introductions; 
and Cardinal, a crimson-scarlet of much distinction. 
Mrs. Dugdale is one of the very finest. The 
standard petal is large, and the lovely rose with 
primrose shadings make it one of the brightest there 
are. Meteor is another of the pinky-salmon varieties, 
having rather small blooms, but is very showy in 
the mass. Rising Sun has quite a blaze of orange, 
carmine blotches and bluish-white, and may be 
taken as a worthy form. Mrs. Gladstone, showing 
a softness of pink, and Lady Mary Currie with 
orange-pink and rosy-lilac must also be among those 
selected. Countess of Aberdeen is one of the soft 
pink varieties with large and well formed flowers, 
qualities lacking in many others» Prima Donna, of 
a light rosy-pink, is also a really good thing. Ignea 
was very pleasing, and presents an uncommon com¬ 
bination of blue or violet over deep crimson. 
Gorgeous, also, as one of the old favourites, was in 
the trial and holding its own. 
Mars has an individuality all its own, the intensity 
of its scarlet being strikingly fine. Lady Nina 
Balfour may not always be reliable but is certainly a 
good thing. Monarch, which we may describe as 
bronzy-purple, is one of the foremost of its kind. 
Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain, a white, suffused with 
rose, also lingers in our mind as making a beautiful 
display. Indigo King, Imperial Blue, and Lady 
Grisel Hamilton are varying forms of the same 
colour. The best blue of all though is found in 
Navy-blue, so brilliant and showy. Lilacina splen- 
dens represents a mixture of Lilac-blue, white -and 
buff. One of the best creamy-pinks is found in 
Lottie Hutchins. And Maid of Honour, having 
light blue on a white ground, incites one’s regards 
when seen among others. Princess Beatrice takes 
some beating both in its colour of delicate rosy-car¬ 
mine and in its form. 
Prince Edward of York may likewise be mentioned, 
besides Stanley, which is one of the very best forms 
of the large deep maroons. Stella Morse, Purple 
and Purple striped, Ramona and Grey Friar, the 
latter a light grey, together with Lady Penzance, 
Violet Queen, Triumph, and the Queen, are one and 
all beautiful, and either sown alone for distinct 
colours or mixed for general display will answer 
admirably. 
We will conclude with one other mention, and that 
is Salopian, one of the showiest and most distinct 
among very many. The form is very fair, and the 
colours, crimson, mulberry, and rich orange-scarlet, 
are so well combined that a very pleasing blend 
results. 
Culinary Peas. 
Of the exceptionally large amount of the vegetable 
Peas on trial, perhaps the selection of twenty of the 
best will be the best guidance to the reader. Leaving 
out such fine old favourites as Telegraph, Telephone, 
Stratagem, Ne Plus Ultra, and one or two others, a 
first notice may well begin with Laxton's Fillbasket, 
old and well-known, of course, yet not so universally 
grown as various others. The market growers of 
Essex, however, know its worth, and grow it largely. 
Gladiator, a selected form of Telegraph, has very 
good points. Carter’s Delicatesse is a nice distinct 
variety whose produce is used widely on the Conti¬ 
nent for canning purposes. It is dwarf and bushy, 
with well-filled pods, and from its patronage by 
Evesham market men, we conclude that its place is 
that of a standard variety. Duchess is a Pea of the 
Duke of Albany type. A variety sent out by some¬ 
one, and named Hero of Trowbridge, resolves itself 
into the true Duke of Albany. Carter's Early Morn 
comes into use just a few days after Lightning, 
which is the earliest Pea grown. The former 
variety is remarkable for large, even Peas. Duke 
of Norfolk is another Duke of Albany under the 
other name. The Carter ts one of the most 
promising of the new selected Peas. This selecting 
and fixing process has been vigorously carried on for 
some years, and if the fine samples of this variety 
which we saw can be maintained without any run¬ 
ning back, then truly another Pea worth the having 
will be with us. The pods in some cases measure 
5 in. or 6 in. long, are broad and abundantly borne. 
The vigour and colour of the plants are good points 
in this Pea. 
John Howard is an early Ne Plus Ultra type. 
Criterion is another of the same. Carter’s Tele¬ 
phone is a new wrinkled Pea out of the old form. 
It is well known among small gardener exhibitors. 
The Daisy is another of those Peas that combine 
the grand qualities of good parents. In this case 
the parents were the Giant Marrowfat and Lightning, 
so that the earliness and dwarfness of Lightning is 
joined with the cropping powers of the Marrowfat. 
It has had a tremendous run since it was sent out 
four years ago by the Messrs. Carter & Co. 
Captain Cuttle, one of Laxton’s varieties, also 
proved a good Pea, bearing fine pods freely. The 
Baron has a good habit, not too tall, but bushy and 
having fine types of pods. Triumph is a first-rate 
Pea, after the Carter type. The Queen resembles 
Carters’ Stratagem. It is a tall, free bearing form. 
Sutton’s Late Queen has an abundance of large, 
well filled pods. It is a first-rate trial. King of the 
Marrows is very prolific and a really good old sort. 
British Queen, Golden Vine, Reverse podded, and 
Daylight are all much on a footing. They bear well 
though their time of maturing varied, all of them 
having been sown on the same date, viz., March 
28th. London Market represents a dwarf, straight, 
even Pea, most useful to market growers. 
These trials are valuable because each variety 
grown (and seeds come from many parts) comes 
under the observation of an expert or experts, who 
exercise their judgment upon the characters and 
worth of the stocks which they rear. Rogueing, 
selecting and crossing, too, is always under con¬ 
sideration at Mortlake. 
Other Vegetables. 
The trials of top-rooted crops could not very well at 
this time be adjudged, but later on the results maybe 
given. Of Broad Beans the variety and habit of 
growth was multiplex, and in cases very distinct. 
Carter's Leviathan proved a good bearing dwarf 
grower. It has come as a selection from the Saville 
Longpod. The Beans in the pods of Masterpiece 
Longpod are valuable because that even when 
cooked they retain their natural green colour. The 
old Windsor Broad Bean bears up splendidly. The 
Lettuces cccupy a goodly space, and every form, 
colour, and habit is represented. Some of the 
beautifully-coloured kinds, as tbe Golden Spotted, 
Tiger Spotted, and one or two others would certainly 
not be out of place in carpet-bedding, and would 
form a novelty. Carter’s Standard Cos is really a 
fine summer variety, and remains compact and 
usable for quite a time, even when matured and on 
a dry soil. Black Seeded White Cos and the 
Winter Cos are also notable. For a good forcing 
Lettuce we would mention Carter's Green-fringed. 
New York and Selected All the Year Round are 
known as among the best we have. American 
Gathering and Continuity are taking varieties on the 
Continent and abroad, but do not quite take here. 
The Messrs. Carter have one or two novelties in 
this line which will be heard of, no doubt, at a 
future date. 
There is quite a collection of annuals and other 
things of use or beauty. The brightest display 
among the dwarfer plants was that given by the 
dwarf or Tom Thumb Tropaeolums. 
-—HE*- 
Tne QiclUd Brower’s Calendar, 
Work in the Houses. —Owing to the intense hr at 
we are having, it is essential that we should keep the 
atmosphere laden with moisture as much as possible, 
by frequently damping the floors, stages and all 
available spaces. The blinds, too, on much expcsed 
houses may be syringed over with advantage. 
We are apt to grumble about the heat, but it is 
just what we want, and gives us an excellent chance 
to syringe overhead—a course of treatment the cool 
Odontoglossums revel in ; whilst the occupants of the 
intermediate divis’ons will also benefit greatly if 
treated to an occasional shower bath. This sys em 
after all is only what they get under natural con¬ 
ditions, and it is only to be expected that they will 
appreciate some such rational treatment over here if 
carried out with discretion. Of course, it can ba 
over-done under cultivation, because their constitu¬ 
tion is (if not weaker) more tender, and therefore 
susceptible to injury from a too radical change. 
Do we do without fire-heat ? Well, no, not 
exactly ; for no matter how hot the weather may be, 
we like to just warm the pipes in the warmest 
division. This is just sufficient to keep the atmos¬ 
phere buoyant and free from that clammy feeliDg 
when you enter the house in the morning 
Potting Orchids. —At one time it was thought 
that the spring of the year was the only and proper 
time to do this work if you wanted to succeed. The 
close study, however, of the different kinds tells us 
plainly that there is no set time for this operation. 
Take for instance that lovely Cattleya gigas; I beg, 
pardon, Cattleya Warscewiczii, I suppose I ought to 
call it. The potting of this fine Orchid should be 
done almost immediately it goes out of flower, and 
as this is the blossoming season, next month will be 
the proper time to do the work. We find that at 
this stage there is a great amount of root action 
going od, mostly from the base, of the nearly made 
up growths, which readily take hold of the new 
material thus afforded. 
Cool House —The quaint Odontoglossum hasti- 
labium, just now in flower, will never become 
popular like some others of the genus, but it should 
be valuable for hybridising. That and O. crispum 
should make a good cross. 
Odontoglossum cordatum, now in flower, comes 
in handy for the same purpose. There is a difficulty 
in getting the seed to germinate. We find that they 
come up best when sown on plants that are sus¬ 
pended near the glass, and not kept too wet.—S. C. 
-•§—- 
Niphetos Roses, when large and full, have a 
splendid effect when arranged loosely in an open- 
mouthed vase, with purple Beech leaves or sprays 
interspersed. 
